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{{short description|none}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox cricket tournament

| previous_year = 1796
{{Infobox cricket season
| season = 1797 English cricket season
| previous_tournament = 1796 English cricket season
| next_year = 1798
| cricket formats = [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Cricket#MAJOR|major]], including [[single wicket cricket|single wicket]]
| next_tournament = 1798 English cricket season
}}
}}
The '''1797 English cricket season''' was the 26th in which matches have been awarded retrospective [[first-class cricket]] status and the 11th after the foundation of the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]]. The season saw 13 top-class matches played in the country.


[[Richard Nyren]], who was a pioneer of the game with the [[Hambledon Club]] died in April.<ref>Mitchell A (2017) [https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/signed-and-delivered-the-high-cost-of-18th-century-cricket Signed and delivered: the high cost of 18th century cricket], Scottish Sport History, 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2020-12-07.</ref>
In the '''1797 English cricket season''', [[Marylebone Cricket Club|MCC]] enjoyed great success on the field, winning 9 of its 11 matches.


== Matches ==
== Matches ==
A total of 13 top-class matches were played during the season,<ref name=ACS>[[Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians]] (ACS) (1981) ''A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709 – 1863''. Nottingham: ACS.</ref><ref name=ci>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/index.html?season=1797;view=season England Domestic Season 1797], [[CricInfo]]. Retrieved 2020-12-07.</ref><ref name=ca>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/4/First-Class_matches_in_England_1797.html First-class matches in England, 1797], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2020-07-29. {{subscription required}}</ref> including matches featuring MCC as well as [[Hampshire county cricket teams|Hampshire]] and [[Surrey county cricket teams|Surrey]] sides.<ref name=ci/>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"

|- bgcolor="#efefef"
Four matches saw the [[George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea]]'s XI play a side organised by [[Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond|Charles Lennox]].<ref name=ci/> In one of these Winchelsea is reported to have attempted to introduce a fourth stump and to increase the height of the stumps by two inches. The following year saw a new version of the [[Laws of Cricket]] introduced which raised the height of the stumps but did not introduce a fourth stump.<ref>[https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/249.html C Lennox's XI v Earl of Winchilsea's XI], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2020-12-07. {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17855/scorecard/537851/c-lennoxs-xi-vs-earl-of-winchilseas-xi-england-domestic-season-1797 C Lennox's XI v Earl of Winchilsea's XI], [[CricInfo]]. Retrieved 2020-12-07.</ref>
! width="125" align="left" | Date
! width="250" align="left" | Match Title
! width="125" align="left" | Venue
! width="50" align="left" | Source
! width="200" align="left" | Result
|-
| <small>11–12 May (Th-F)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/241.html MCC v Middlesex]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB214
| <small>MCC won by 6 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>15–16 May (M-Tu)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/242.html C Lennox v Earl of Winchilsea]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB214
| <small>Lennox's XI won by 132 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>19–20 May (F-S)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/243.html Lennox v Earl of Winchilsea]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB215
| <small>Winchilsea's XI won by innings & 94 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>WDC has this game taking place on 10–11 May and ACS includes both entries. The above is believed correct.
|-
| <small>24–27 May (W-S)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/244.html MCC v Middlesex]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB216
| <small>MCC won by 288 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>6–9 June (T-F)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/245.html All-England v Surrey]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB216
| <small>All-England won by 6 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>12–13 June (M-T)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/246.html Montpelier v MCC] ^
| <small>Montpelier Gardens
| <small>SB217
| <small>MCC won by 42 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>19–23 June (M-F)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/247.html All-England v Surrey]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB218
| <small>All-England won by 23 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>This was postponed till Mon 3 July: it must have rained.
|-
| <small>26–27 June (M-T)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/248.html MCC v Montpelier] ^
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB218
| <small>MCC won by 5 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>4–6 July (Tu-Th)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/249.html C Lennox v Earl of Winchilsea]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB219
| <small>Winchilsea's XI won by 4 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>10–12 July (M-W)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/250.html MCC v London]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB220
| <small>MCC won by 109 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>12–13 July (W-Th)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/251.html All-England v Surrey & Middlesex]
| <small>Montpelier Gardens
| <small>SB221
| <small>S/M won by 4 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>20–21 July (Th-F)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/252.html Earl of Winchilsea v C Lennox]
| <small>Swaffham Racecourse
| <small>SB223
| <small>Winchilsea's XI won by 27 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>S&B calls this Earl of Winchilsea v Beauclerk but that is unlikely; Britcher has Lennox as the patron and that seems more probable at this time.
|-
| <small>7-8 Aug (M-Tu)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/253.html Hampshire v MCC]
| <small>Stoke Down
| <small>SB224
| <small>MCC won by 113 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>14-16 Aug (M-W)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/254.html MCC v Hampshire]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB225
| <small>MCC won by 6 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>17 Aug (Th)
| <small>Montpelier M&S v Montpelier Thur
| <small>Montpelier Gardens
| <small>FLPV
| <small>M&S won by 53 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>This a game between two sections of the Montpelier Club: i.e., its Monday & Saturday members versus its Thursday members.
|-
| <small>21-23 Aug (M-W)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/255.html All-England v MCC]
| <small>Moulsey Hurst
| <small>SB226
| <small>MCC won by 6 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>23-24 Aug (W-Th)
| <small>Woolwich v Croydon #
| <small>Barrack Field, Woolwich
| <small>brit
| <small>Woolwich won by 23 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small># This match was unknown until Britcher’s scores came to light recently. It is a minor match involving the same teams as in the game reported by WDC on 27 Sept. Both sources refer to the counties in their match titles (Kent v Surrey) but they are definitely the Woolwich and Croydon clubs playing in each game.
|-
| <small>28-31 Aug (M-Th)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/256.html MCC v All-England]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB226
| <small>All-England won by 8 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>
|-
| <small>4-6 Sept (M-W)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/257.html Montpelier v MCC] ^
| <small>Montpelier Gardens
| <small>SB227
| <small>Montpelier won by 6 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>^ Montpelier’s teams in these three games against MCC were much stronger than the normal club sides of the time, especially with given men. The majority of players are recognised and these are major fixtures.
|-
| <small>21-26 Sept (Th-Tu)
| <small>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/0/258.html MCC v All-England]
| <small>Lord's (Dorset Square)
| <small>SB228
| <small>MCC won by 4 wkts
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small>There was no Sunday play in this game (i.e., on Sun 24 Sept).
|-
| <small>27 Sept (W)
| <small>Woolwich v Croydon #
| <small>Barrack Field, Woolwich
| <small>WDC
| <small>Woolwich won by 179 runs
|-
| colspan="5" |
<small># WDC calls this "Kent v Surrey" but the teams were weak and unrepresentative of the counties so it was surely a rematch of Woolwich v Croydon on 23–24 August.|-
|}


==First mentions==
==First mentions==
Players who made their first-class cricket debuts in 1797 included:
* [[John Bennett (Hampshire cricketer)]] &ndash; played 61 matches from 1797 to 1818
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[John Gibbons (MCC cricketer)]] (MCC; amateur) &ndash; played 18 matches from 1797 to 1801
* [[John Bennett (cricketer, born 1777)|John Bennett]]
* [[J. Pontifex]] (MCC; amateur) &ndash; played 15 matches from 1797 to 1810
* [[Clair (Hampshire cricketer)|Clair]]
* Hon. [[Charles Douglas (cricketer)|Charles Douglas]] (MCC; amateur) &ndash; played 13 matches from 1797 to 1799
* [[G. Cooper (MCC cricketer)|G. Cooper]]
* [[Benjamin Clifton]] (Middlesex; amateur) &ndash; played eleven matches from 1797 to 1798
* [[Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch|Earl of Dalkeith]]
* [[G. Cooper (MCC cricketer)]] (MCC; amateur) &ndash; played six matches from 1797 to 1807
* [[Charles Douglas, 3rd Baron Douglas|Charles Douglas]]
* [[Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch|Earl of Dalkeith]] (MCC; amateur) &ndash; played four matches in 1797
* [[John Gibbons (cricketer)|John Gibbons]]
* [[May (Hampshire cricketer)]] &ndash; played four matches from 1797 to 1798
* [[Gunnell (Surrey cricketer)|W. Gunnell]]
* [[Lord Yarmouth]] (MCC and Surrey; amateur) &ndash; played three matches from 1797 to 1799
* [[May (Hampshire cricketer)|May]]
* [[George Boult junior]] (Middlesex; amateur) &ndash; played two matches in 1797
* [[Clair (Hampshire cricketer)]] &ndash; played two matches from 1797 to 1803
* [[Wilson (Surrey cricketer)|Wilson]]
* [[Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford|Lord Yarmouth]]
* [[Gunnell (Surrey cricketer)]] &ndash; played two matches from 1797 to 1810
}}
* [[Wilson (Surrey cricketer)]] &ndash; played two matches from 1797 to 1809

==Leading batsmen==
Note that many scorecards in the 18th century are unknown or have missing details and so it is impossible to provide a complete analysis of batting performances: e.g., the missing not outs prevent computation of batting averages. The "runs scored" are in fact the ''runs known''.

[[Lord Frederick Beauclerk]] scored 758 runs to top the 1797 runscoring list

Others who scored more than 200 runs were [[John Hammond (cricketer)|John Hammond]] 603; [[John Tufton (cricketer)|John Tufton]] 592; [[Thomas Walker (cricketer)|Tom Walker]] 491; [[William Beldham]] 430; [[Edward Bligh]] 382; [[William Fennex]] 346; [[Robert Robinson (cricketer)|Robert Robinson]] 310; [[James Aylward (cricketer)|James Aylward]] 296; [[Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond|Charles Lennox]] 270; [[Henry Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet|Henry Tufton]] 246; [[Harry Walker (cricketer)|Harry Walker]] 243; [[Jack Small]] 227; [[Thomas Ray (cricketer)|Thomas Ray]] 214

==Leading bowlers==
Note that the wickets credited to an 18th-century bowler were only those where he bowled the batsman out. The bowler was not credited with the wickets of batsmen who were caught out, even if it was "caught and bowled". In addition, the runs conceded by each bowler were not recorded so no analyses or averages can be computed.

[[Lord Frederick Beauclerk]] with a massive haul of 66 wickets was easily the top bowler

Other leading wicket-takers were [[John Wells (cricketer)|John Wells]] 31; [[Thomas Boxall]] 24; [[Thomas Lord]] 20; [[Sylvester (Middlesex cricketer)|Sylvester]] 20; [[John Hammond (cricketer)|John Hammond]] 18

==Leading fielders==
Note that many scorecards in the 18th century are unknown or have missing details and so the totals are of the ''known'' catches and stumpings only. Stumpings were not always recorded as such and sometimes the name of the wicket-keeper was not given. Generally, a catch was given the same status as "bowled" with credit being awarded to the fielder only and not the bowler. There is never a record of "caught and bowled": the bowler would be credited with the catch, not with the wicket.

[[Thomas Ray (cricketer)|Thomas Ray]] took the most known catches with 19 but he may have been beaten by [[John Tufton (cricketer)|John Tufton]] who definitely took 18 (plus one definite stumping) but could have had more. The Tufton brothers again starred in the field and Henry was the best keeper with 11 ct, 15 st. There were another 3 catches and 3 stumpings credited to one or other of the Tuftons.

Other good performances were by [[Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond|Charles Lennox]]
16 ct, 1 st; [[Lord Frederick Beauclerk]] 12 ct; [[John Wells (cricketer)|John Wells]] 11 ct 5 st; [[Edward Bligh]] 10 ct; [[William Beldham]] 9 ct; [[William Fennex]] 9 ct; [[Andrew Freemantle]] 9 ct; [[John Hammond (cricketer)|John Hammond]] 9 ct, 7 st; [[Sylvester (Middlesex cricketer)|Sylvester]] 8 ct


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==Bibliography==
==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Buckley |first=G. B. |authorlink=G. B. Buckley |title=Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket |year=1935 |publisher=Cotterell |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Altham |first=H. S. |author-link=Harry Altham |title=A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914) |year=1962 |publisher=George Allen & Unwin }}
* {{cite book |last=Haygarth |first=Arthur |authorlink=Arthur Haygarth |title=Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826) |year=1862 |publisher=Lillywhite |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Birley |first=Derek |author-link=Derek Birley |title=A Social History of English Cricket |year=1999 |publisher=Aurum }}
* {{cite book |last=Waghorn |first=H. T. |authorlink=H. T. Waghorn |title=The Dawn of Cricket |year=1906 |publisher=Electric Press |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowen |first=Rowland |author-link=Rowland Bowen |title=Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development |year=1970 |publisher=Eyre & Spottiswoode }}
* {{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Martin |title=An Index to Waghorn |publisher=Bodyline |year=2005 |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Major |first=John |author-link=John Major |title=More Than A Game |year=2007 |publisher=HarperCollins }}

==Additional reading==
* {{cite book |last=ACS |first= |authorlink=Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians |title=A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709 – 1863 |year=1981 |publisher=ACS |location=Nottingham |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Altham |first=H. S. |authorlink=Harry Altham |title=A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914) |year=1962 |publisher=George Allen & Unwin |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Birley |first=Derek |authorlink=Derek Birley |title=A Social History of English Cricket |year=1999 |publisher=Aurum |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowen |first=Rowland |authorlink=Rowland Bowen |title=Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development |year=1970 |publisher=Eyre & Spottiswoode |isbn=}}
* [[Samuel Britcher|Britcher, Samuel]], ''A list of all the principal Matches of Cricket that have been played'' (1790 to 1805), annual series
* {{cite book |last=Buckley |first=G. B. |authorlink=G. B. Buckley |title=Fresh Light on pre-Victorian Cricket |year=1937 |publisher=Cotterell |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=McCann |first=Tim |authorlink=Timothy J. McCann |title=Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century |year=2004 |publisher=Sussex Record Society |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |last=Major |first=John |authorlink=John Major |title=More Than A Game |year=2007 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=}}

==External links==
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20110629140003/http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/cricket/histories/matches.html Classification of cricket matches from 1697 to 1825]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Seasonal_Averages/ENG/1797_f_Match_List.html CricketArchive – 1797 first-class matches list]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/ENG/1797_ENG_Other_matches_in_England_1797.html CricketArchive – 1797 other matches list]

{{English cricket teams in the 18th century}}

{{English cricket venues in the 18th century}}


{{English cricket seasons to 1815}}
{{English cricket seasons}}


[[Category:1797 in English cricket]]
[[Category:1797 in English cricket]]
[[Category:English cricket seasons from 1787 to 1815]]
[[Category:English cricket seasons in the 18th century]]

Latest revision as of 19:24, 14 May 2024

1797 English cricket season
← 1796
1798 →

The 1797 English cricket season was the 26th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 11th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 13 top-class matches played in the country.

Richard Nyren, who was a pioneer of the game with the Hambledon Club died in April.[1]

Matches

[edit]

A total of 13 top-class matches were played during the season,[2][3][4] including matches featuring MCC as well as Hampshire and Surrey sides.[3]

Four matches saw the George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea's XI play a side organised by Charles Lennox.[3] In one of these Winchelsea is reported to have attempted to introduce a fourth stump and to increase the height of the stumps by two inches. The following year saw a new version of the Laws of Cricket introduced which raised the height of the stumps but did not introduce a fourth stump.[5][6]

First mentions

[edit]

Players who made their first-class cricket debuts in 1797 included:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Mitchell A (2017) Signed and delivered: the high cost of 18th century cricket, Scottish Sport History, 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  2. ^ Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians (ACS) (1981) A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709 – 1863. Nottingham: ACS.
  3. ^ a b c England Domestic Season 1797, CricInfo. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  4. ^ First-class matches in England, 1797, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2020-07-29. (subscription required)
  5. ^ C Lennox's XI v Earl of Winchilsea's XI, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2020-12-07. (subscription required)
  6. ^ C Lennox's XI v Earl of Winchilsea's XI, CricInfo. Retrieved 2020-12-07.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Altham, H. S. (1962). A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914). George Allen & Unwin.
  • Birley, Derek (1999). A Social History of English Cricket. Aurum.
  • Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. Eyre & Spottiswoode.
  • Major, John (2007). More Than A Game. HarperCollins.
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